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IRGC vows to speed up arming West Bank in response to “Israel’s spying operation”

Senior Iranian military official announced that they will accelerate arming the Palestinians in the West Bank in response to the recent operation made by an Israeli spy drone which was downed before it could reach Natanz nuclear enrichment facility in Central Iran.

"We will accelerate arming the West Bank and we think that we are entitled to give any response (to the recent operation) which we deem appropriate," Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said on Aug 25, Iran's Fars news agency reported.

"The Armed Forces, including the IRGC and the Army, are fully prepared to trace and intercept hostile flying objects and if such moves are repeated, the aggressors will receive our crushing response," he said.

The incident reportedly happened on Saturday, but the IRGC broke the news on Sunday.

"The downed aircraft was of the stealth, radar-evasive type and it intended to penetrate the off-limit nuclear area in Natanz... but was targeted by a ground-to-air missile before it managed to enter the area," ISNA said, citing a statement by the Revolutionary Guards.

The Israeli military says it will not comment on foreign reports.

Israel and the West suspect Iran of planning to build a nuclear bomb. Iran has in the past often accused its Western and Israeli foes of trying to sabotage its nuclear program, which Tehran says is peaceful.